Then she explained that her family have found it difficult to feed themselves and have been forced to take a lodger into their two-bedroom flat they rent.

"I am a hard working girl that wants to keep learning more and more, but due to the financial situation of my parents, I am unable to attend teaching and swimming lessons," she wrote.

Mr Timms was so moved by the letter, he posted it on his Twitter account, with the message: "Extraordinary letter from an eight year old, delivered to me by her parents at my surgery yesterday morning. http://t.co/FItmXQkq1e-Stephen Timms"

As a result, he warned of a growing number of people 'on the verge of destitution' owing to the government's bedroom tax, welfare reforms and immigration changes.

"This family is only surviving because of help from friends and handouts from the church. Her parents also brought their daughter's school reports to the constituency surgery, which showed she had all As," the shadow employment minister said.

"She's obviously a remarkable little girl facing a very tough time but who knows if she will even be here in a couple of years?"